Phase identification is a process of discovering and recording the phase, e.g., from among the phases of three-phase electrical power, to which devices in an electrical distribution network are connected. Knowledge of phase use by different customers is important to an electric utility, and assists with functions such as load balancing, power distribution efficiency, smart grid analytics and others. Accordingly, a thorough knowledge of the topology of an electrical network, including knowledge of a phase to which electric meters, transformers and other devices are connected, is important for electrical grid operation.
In many instances, records showing phase use by various network components reflect the original installation of those components. However, over decades of time, some undocumented alterations may have been made by work crews. Accordingly, actual knowledge of the phase used by each component is not necessarily known.